The invention relates generally to a clip and more particularly to a clip that attaches to a sun visor.
A number of visor clips exist in the art for holding specific items to the visor of an automobile. Many of these clips are complex and include a number of separate components fitted together. Such designs are costly to produce. Other designs exist that are simple in construction, but inadequate for holding specific types of payload.
One prior art visor clip is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,078 issued to Risley (hereinafter xe2x80x9cRisleyxe2x80x9d). The Risley clip is specifically designed for holding a container of moist snuff. Although the Risley design is a one-piece clip, it relies on cantilever force applied to a small portion of the base of the snuff container to provide the required friction against another surface that holds the snuff container in place. As such, the clip as disclosed by Risley only provides force application to the container at a single force application area. Although this may be adequate for supporting a single large object such as a snuff container, the clip as disclosed by Risley is inadequate for holding a number of small objects that may vary slightly in size. For example, the clip as disclosed by Risley does not adequately hold a number of toothpicks.
Other prior art clips exist that are specifically designed for holding a large number of small objects such as toothpicks. One such prior art clip is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,163 issued to Leach et al. (hereinafter xe2x80x9cLeachxe2x80x9d). Leach describes a visor clip specifically designed for holding toothpicks. The design as disclosed by Leach includes a box-like structure attached to a clip where the box-like structure includes a cover with a slit for insertion of the toothpicks. Although the design of Leach is adequate for holding toothpicks to a visor, it suffers from the disadvantage of being a multi-piece unit. The cover, or cap, of the box-like structure of Leach is described as being manufactured of a different material than the box itself and the clip that holds the assembly to the visor. As such, the manufacturing costs associated with producing the toothpick clip as taught by Leach are undesirable. In addition, the toothpicks inserted into the toothpick holder as described by Leach are only frictionally engaged at a single point within the toothpick holder (the slit of the cover), thus reducing the stability with which the toothpicks are engaged. Furthermore, the toothpick holder as described by Leach is only suitable for holding objects that fit within the narrow slot of the cover. Therefore, the usefulness of the clip as described by Leach is very restrictive.
Therefore, a need exists for a clip that is capable of engaging a large number of small objects such as toothpicks in a stable manner while providing the flexibility to be able to engage other types of payload as well.